Aengus Ó Snodaigh (Dublin South Central, Sinn Fein)
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83. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection her plans to undertake an independent external analysis of the impact of the pandemic unemployment payment on different sectors, particularly the arts sector, given the proposals to introduce a basic income pilot scheme in that sector, and the potential relevant feedback from the experience of the pandemic unemployment payment as a basic income guarantee for workers unable to work due to Covid-19 restrictions. [57938/21]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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Budget 2022 included the announcement of €25 million to pilot a new Basic Income scheme for artists and arts workers, as reflected in the National Economic Recovery Plan. My colleague the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media has lead responsibility for this initiative. Her Department is examining the various options associated with introducing a pilot income scheme for artists and this is being overseen by the Arts and Culture Recovery Oversight Group. My Department is actively engaging in this process through both the Oversight Group and the associated technical sub-group.

The pandemic unemployment payment (PUP) was made available to all eligible workers who lost their employment, and similar to other social welfare supports, it is not sectoral specific. I therefore have no plans to undertake an independent external analysis of the impact of PUP on different sectors.

Internal labour market reports are produced on a regular basis. Examples of published reports which provide an overview of the level of analysis conducted include the recently published ‘PUP Labour Market Transitions Analysis’ and a policy paper published last June detailing the impact of COVID-19 on the Irish labour market.

I trust that this clarifies the position for the Deputy.